We are Richmond

Who We Are

Richmond Community Services (RCS) is an extended network of individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers, trained professionals, support staff, dedicated volunteers and numerous donors.

Individuals with disabilities.

Individuals who are served by RCS have a range of developmental disabilities. Many have additional, complicating medical concerns. We customize care depending on needs. The people we support are living longer and fuller lives than ever before; some came to us as children, and now they are actively engaged adults. Most of those who come to RCS are Westchester residents. All are given the opportunity to continually improve their skills with a comprehensive range of state-of-the-art therapeutic and medical services.

Families

Family involvement is an essential part of life enhancement for RCS. Through its exemplary services, RCS provides peace of mind to parents and family members. Families are as involved as they would like to be— visiting often to from making decisions about the design and decoration of their houses. Our parent-led Richmond Family Council is an essential group that helps set the direction for new initiatives and projects. Parents regularly share experiences and serve as resources for one another as they face the challenges of a family member with lifelong needs.Meet some of our families.

Board of Directors

The Board provides organizational leadership and financial oversight. Board members bring a range of skills, from legal to financial, from medical to management. In addition, Board members have the responsibilities of educating members of the community and assisting with advocacy.Meet our Board of Directors.

Staff

To ensure innovative care and round-the-clock specialized support, we recruit carefully, and we continually invest in staff education and training. Many of our staff members are recognized experts in their fields. Our health services team includes: doctors, nurses, occupational, physical and speech therapists, dietitians, social workers, psychologists, neurologists, and podiatrists. Our direct support staff is noted for its dedication, compassion and friendly rapport with the people they help on a daily basis as well as family members.Meet some of our staff.

Volunteers

Volunteers help in numerous roles throughout the organization. Some assist staff with day-to-day care. Some support the staff at various programs. Others help to organized public outreach and fundraising events. Many of our volunteers are advocates for RCS, helping to educate members of the Westchester community and their decision-leaders.Meet some of our volunteers.

Donors

Our work is expensive. While many of our costs are included in government contracts, we rely on the involvement and generosity of numerous foundations, corporations and individuals. Through grants, sponsorships and contributions—large and small—hundreds of generous friends help sustain our many programs and enable us to expand our reach.Meet some of our donors

This is our community: adults with disabilities; families and caregivers; Board members and volunteers; staff and donors. We are committed to maintaining a high level of communication with each of these constituencies so that together we can provide the highest possible level of care.

History and Accreditation

Our story began in 1938, when Ellen Richmond, a nurse at Mt. Vernon Hospital, compassionately took home and cared for babies born with developmental disabilities, babies who were left in the hospital to await placement in state facilities. Inspired by these modest beginnings, members of the community formed a nonprofit organization – Richmond Children’s Center – and in 1973, they purchased and moved into the former New York Cardiac Center building in Yonkers. At one time, more than 180 children lived in the Center.

Today, Richmond Community Services (RCS) has evolved to meet the needs of adults with developmental disabilities. RCS still provides residential supports, although now we have fewer people living in the original Yonkers building, and we also have many individuals who live in our 15 group homes throughout Westchester. In addition, we offer a range of day programs so that individuals with disabilities can grow to the highest level of independent living possible for them.

The programs of Richmond Community Services are certified by the New York State Office of People With Developmental Disabilities (NYS OPWDD) and are part of the Hudson Valley Developmental Disabilities Regional Office. The majority of our funding is from Medicaid, supplemented by foundation grants, corporate gifts and individual contributions.

Richmond is a member of the New York State Association of Community and Residential agencies (NYSACRA), TASH and the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD).

Although our staff has increased to almost 600, we strive to maintain the same dedication, warmth and personal touch that Ellen Richmond demonstrated in 1938. We strongly believe we have an obligation not only to set a standard for excellence, but also to do all we can to ensure that the people we support live with dignity, leading the fullest and richest lives possible.